A neural entero-pancreatic pathway that regulatesinsulin secretion and glucose tolerance

Abstract

Signals from the gut enhance pancreatic secretion of insulin and thus influence glucose metabolism. This phenomenon, known as the incretin effect, is thought to be mediated by hormones secreted from enteroendocrine cells. The endocrine model, however, does not fully capture the complexity of gut-pancreas interactions. Anatomical studies identified a direct neural connection between the gut and the pancreas, known as the entero-pancreatic plexus. The role of this connection in regulating glucose metabolism remains unknown. Here we identify and functionally characterize a subpopulation of nitridergic myenteric neurons in the proximal duodenum that project directly to the pancreas. The anatomical and transcriptomic signature of these neurons places them downstream of glutamatergic and enkephalinergic enteric interneurons that indirectly respond to luminal nutrient stimuli. Their axonal projections to the pancreas contact neuro-insular ganglia and reach into the islet parenchyma. When activated chemogenetically, this circuit increases Ca2+ responses in pancreatic beta cells, enhances insulin secretion, and improves glucose tolerance in vivo. Our findings reveal a direct gut-pancreas neural pathway that complements incretin signaling in potentiating insulin secretion. This unexpectedly strong neuronal modulation of beta cell function could be harnessed to improve glycemic control in diabetes.